How to Help Kids Overcome the Disappointment of No Vacations This Year

With coronavirus travel restrictions and tightened budgets, your family may be disappointed about not having a vacation this year (or any time soon). Here’s how to help your kids.

By Barbara Russo December 9, 2020

The holidays are upon us. This time of year usually has children excited for the annual family trip, whether it’s to a fun destination, visiting family, or a ski vacation. But 2020 is different. The economic and health challenges brought to us by COVID-19 have resulted in the cancellation of most holiday getaways. With travel restrictions and quarantine guidelines in place in New York and other areas throughout the country, vacations aren't part of most families' holiday plans this year.

Even a weekend trip to somewhere local may be out of the question for many families, as unemployment continues to rise throughout the New York metro area. Job losses are widespread and plaguing so many industries.

It's not just adults feeling the pain of the pandemic. Children have been experiencing social, emotional, and mental health effects alongside adults throughout the year. Some kids will also feel a deep sense of loss with the change of plans this season as they miss aspects of their holiday break.

Cancelled travel plans will be felt most because children have had plenty of time at home, according to Darby Fox, child and adolescent family therapist and author of Rethinking Your Teenager.

“Vacation plans not only provide a change of scenery and routine but an opportunity to rest and reset,” Fox says. “Kids have had several months of stressful uncertainty and holiday vacation is needed now more than ever before.”

So, without the outlet of travel, how can parents help their children through this difficult time? To start, they should consider planning special events to help fill the travel void, Fox suggests.

In addition to planning activities, it also helps to let children express the emotions they are feeling, as some may be disappointed—at least at first—to find out there won't be a holiday trip this year.

“Empathize with your child and really listen to them,” says parenting expert Natasha Beck, otherwise known as Dr. Organic Mommy.

Ideas to Help Fill the Vacation Void

Travel may be out of the question, you can break up the time at home by giving children fun activities to look forward to even though travel isn't involved.

Decorate a gingerbread house
Enjoy an evening outside caroling
Plan a video chat with friends and family

Bundle up and head to an outdoor restaurant to fully embrace the experience. (BONUS: This one's a win-win, because not only do you get to experience a fun family adventure, but you'll also walk away feeling good about supporting a local business that may be struggling right now.)
Livestream zoos and aquariums from across the country
Go to a kid-friendly museum in your area
Or explore a museum via a virtual tour (if you’d rather stay home)
Build a snowman or make snow angels—after it snows, of course
Head to a NY area aquarium
Take a spin on a local ice-skating rink
Download our FREE guide to 50 at-home activities
Plan a movie night with a holiday movie or a kid-friendly documentary
Play a virtual escape room game
Climb Mt. Everest—virtually
Have a family game night

While things are certainly different this holiday season in so many ways, parents can use this as an opportunity to create new ways for their families to celebrate the season. It also helps to remember that children are resilient and have had to adjust to many changes this year, just as adults have.

“Kids of all ages have done a great job dealing with all the cancellations the last eight months,” Fox says. “Unfortunately the holidays will be just one more disappointment if you don’t put extra effort into creating new traditions.”